NBA Rumors: Boston Celtics Need More Than David West to Win the East

David West has proven to be one of the most consistent players in the NBA ever since being drafted No. 18 overall in the 2003 Draft by the New Orleans Hornets.

In eight seasons, West has averaged 16.4 points and 7.3 rebounds, while shooting 49 percent from the floor. Last season, West averaged 18.9 points and 7.6 rebounds.

But the Boston Celtics need more than West to win the East.

On Saturday, Yahoo! Sports reported that the Celtics were close to landing West on a deal that would pay him between $27 million and $29 million over three years.

On top of this, center Jermaine O'Neal and guard Sasha Pavlovic were expected to be leaving the Celtics in the deal.

What this tells me is the Celtics aren't going to find a formidable center this offseason, or even a decent one.

And that spells doom for them in the playoffs.

The whole problem for the Celtics last season was the loss of center Kendrick Perkins, when the Celtics inexplicably traded him in exchange for small forward Jeff Green.

It left them without a defensive post presence, and it hurt them in the playoffs, specifically against the explosive Miami Heat.

With this move, the Celtics are apparently ignoring the center spot again, and it's going to end the same way it did for them last season: with an early exit out of the playoffs.

The days as the Beasts of the East are long gone for the Celtics, and they won't get there soon if they can't find a true center.